Hockenheim last hosted a race in 2019. Image: XPB Images
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali confirmed the circuit had approached the championship and held an initial conversation about returning, although any potential deal is being considered for the medium or long term rather than the immediate future.
“Germany, for the first time, we are reconnecting with the possibility of having contact with the Hockenheim people to see if, in the future, mid-term, not short-term, they can have a race back,” Domenicali said.
The contact follows significant changes behind the scenes at Hockenheim, where the Emodrom Group acquired a 74.99 percent stake in the circuit’s operating company in 2024.
Its plans include €250 million ($409 million AUD) of investment across the wider site, including an expanded Porsche Experience Centre, a hotel and a new Motorworld museum.
However, Domenicali warned that the cost of preparing the venue for F1 would go beyond the circuit’s existing redevelopment program.
“On the other side, so far, it was Hockenheim to connect with us, and they have had the first discussion,” he said.
“If they want to discuss a possible F1 event, of course, the investment needs to be different because our platform is to have a different kind of investment. But we have discussion with them.”
The German Grand Prix has not been held since the rain-affected 2019 race at Hockenheim, which was won by Max Verstappen.
Germany staged one further Formula 1 round in 2020 when the Nurburgring returned under the Eifel Grand Prix name during the COVID-affected season, with Lewis Hamilton claiming victory.
Hockenheim first hosted a world championship race in 1970 and became the regular home of the German Grand Prix from 1977, aside from the Nurburgring’s return in 1985.
The country later staged two races during the height of Michael Schumacher’s popularity before Hockenheim and the Nurburgring began sharing the German round from 2007.
Financial concerns eventually brought that arrangement to an end, with neither venue able to secure the outside backing commonly provided to race promoters in other markets.
Domenicali said he believed Germany’s improving broadcast market could strengthen the case for bringing the country back onto the calendar.
F1 recently reached an agreement with RTL, while several companies are expected to compete for the championship’s next German television rights contract.
“Now, with the deal we’re having with RTL, you know, the numbers getting different. And in the new tender on the German market, we will have for the first time more than one operator that is interested to be part of this tender,” Domenicali said.
“So it’s another sign that, in Europe, that is our very important market, the attention is getting even bigger.”
Hockenheim faces considerable competition for any opening on the schedule.
Portugal has secured a two-year return from 2027, while Turkey will rejoin the championship under a new five-year agreement beginning in the same season.
Barcelona and Belgium will also share selected years under a rotational arrangement, while the Dutch Grand Prix will disappear after its final event at Zandvoort later this month.
Further interest has emerged from Rwanda and South Africa, with discussions over an African race continuing, while Thailand, South Korea and Argentina have also been linked with possible additions.